Classic Prius 2002 won't run

Wife's Prius failed to start twice, with warning symbol on main display. Read a lot of posts here and determned it was likely the 12 v auxiliary battery. Almost 5 years was a good life for a 12v battery! So I purchased the Mazda Miata glass mat, sealed battery and altered the cable ends to fit. Installed it in the Prius. Started car and warning triangle is on main display and MFD shows car with exclamation mark. ICE ran for about 20 seconds and died. Disconnected battery and used trickle charger to make sure it was up to a full charge. Reinstalled and started car: all displays looked 'normal' and it ran for about a minute and then died, with prior warning symbols appearing. Knocking off for the night. What else should I check? Does the Classic have a "Ready" position, as I've read about here? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Evan,
I could clean the throttle body once the rain lets up; been a bit torrential here the past few days. Anyone on this forum live in Northern Delaware and have a Scangauge?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 27 2007, 08:55 AM) [snapback]531142[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Oct 27 2007, 01:07 PM) [snapback]531215[/snapback]</div>

Pics of the adaptation are at:
http://www.whizbark.com/~pgwhiz/Prius/

When I installed the new 12v the MFD check showed from 13.5v to 13.8v. Started the car and it ran for a short time as stated above. Went in not long after that due to heavy rain (no garage) and when I came back out, tuned key to accessory position (?) and entered screen and it read only 11.9v !
I just got back to it now, disconnected the battery and have it on a trickle charger. Once it is topped off I'll reinstall it and see what happens.
The throttle flap opens and returns to its nearly-closed position, moving freely and with a crisp click upon hitting its closed position stop. No 'stickiness' felt moving it through very slight additional range to fully-closed (not much movement noted though, how many degrees of arc should I expect?).

 

When it did run for that short period of time the normal MFD screen was showing for a very short while and then the cautionary symbols all popped back up. I'll have to get a Scangauge II to get codes I guess...

 

Update: So, with the key in the ACC position, the MFD display of 13.5+v must have been the main battery topping up the 12v battery. Trickle charged today while at work, replaced in car, and now shows charge at terminals 12.9v, even 12.2v when starting, dome light doesn't dim, starts right up, then 'stumbles' after about 20 seconds of running and quits. MFD shows voltage at 11.9v - checked connections, all secure and no corrosion.
Only warning lights on are the car with exclamation mark and the red triangle. Still looking for an OBD II scanner to borrow. Gas tank is full, but fuel gauge is flashing final bar...any idea how to handle that? Some posts have said you need to add fuel, but I just filled tank before this started. Brake pedal was mushy; held it down with key on and could hear pump running, pedal resistance returned to normal.
Anything else I can do at this point in time?

 

Okay, borrowed a gauge and the only code is P3191. Looked that up and it said:

"P3191 means the "engine did not start".

TSB EG050-04 also discusses: December 20, 2004. ENGINE OIL SPECIFICATIONS. 2001-2005 Prius. (Incorrect engine oil viscosity or improper fill level may result in a M.I.L. "ON" condition (most common Diagnostic Trouble Code P3191 "Engine does not start"). Use SAE 5W-30 API grade SL "Energy Conserving" oil and use proper fill quantity.)

Wife did her oil change recently with Castrol 5w30SL, a new filter and only added 3.5 qts of oil, and after driving to work and back checked dipstick level - it's a tad bit below the full mark. Doubt that is the problem.

Reset check engine light and cleared code. Started it and it did the same thing. Only difference is the gas gauge now reads 'full'.

 

Well, I was getting no where with it, so I had it towed in to the dealer...sigh...
...the service writer called about 10:00am and informed me that the ECM was bad and that was under warranty, but replacing it had made no difference - it still wouldn't run. I asked what codes were found, as my small code scanner only came up with P3191. He did not know and said the technician was working on it. At 3pm he called back to say they had been on the phone with Toyota tech support for hours and they had determined there was "oil in the intake".
I said, well, tell me how that might have happened, as we change the filter with every oil change and add no more than 3.5 qts of 5w30 Castrol SL, and if he'd like to see the other half quart it was still in the garage with a blue "X" marked on the cap of the bottle. Our Prius has never needed any oil between changes that are done every 3,500 miles (I know, we could go 10,000 like they do in Europe).
He said he did not know what else could cause oil in the intake, but that it wasn't a warranty item and would cost $320 to take it apart and clean out the oil and re-assemble it. He said even then it might not run.
I assured him the oil was _never_ overfilled and that was not an acceptable diagnosis unless he could provide a plausible scenario for oil in the intake. I also questioned how he could say it wasn't under warranty when it may not make any difference in whether it would run or not. In other words, if you choose to do something which has no bearing on solving the actual problem that he was freely choosing to undergo such 'repairs' at his own risk. I asked for the codes they got from the THHT and he said, "P1390(sic), P1391(sic), P3101, and C1259. (I guess he meant P3190 and P3191).
So I point out that the HV ECU (hybrid vehicle electronic control unit) sets the P3101, engine system malfunction. The ABS ECU (anti-lock brake system ECU) sets a C1259, HV system regen malfunction. And the CCS ECU (cruise control system) says, "me too" with a P3101 code. The TSB says to chase down any other codes before beginning to work on the P3191 & P3101; however, there is no need to look into the ABS's C1259, as it is caused by ICE failing to start. In other words, what other code aren't you telling me about, or is this a TSB EG011-03 situation? (My thanks to other forum members who provided that synopsis)
The poor fellow wasn't sure what to do with me then and asked if it would be okay if they set it aside and started in again on Monday. I pointed out I was not pressuring them to complete repairs in any time frame and had told them to take what time was needed for a 'proper' diagnosis. He seemed quite relieved to be getting off the phone.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 3 2007, 12:32 AM) [snapback]534215[/snapback]</div>

Galaxee,
Your point is well-taken. On a rational level I do understand that cars really are much more complicated today than when I was rebuilding them, and that my bias is unfair. I'm annoyed at how few well-rounded, knowledgeable 'mechanics' there are in the auto repair industry, and how many 'technicians' simply unplug and plug in components until something works.
I believe Toyota needs to stand behind these phantom P3190/P3191 code situations that cost their dealers untold hours. I feel like the dealers are left to invent 'needed solutions' they can charge for to make ends meet. Why tear down the entire intake to do a TB cleaning? His answer was "We have been on the phone with Toyota and that is what they said we must do".
Will update this on Monday...